TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The men's tennis team steps out of Southeastern Conference action on Monday to host fourth-ranked Southern California at the Alabama Tennis Stadium. First serve is slated for 5 p.m. CT.

The Crimson Tide enters Monday's match with a 9-8 overall record after being edged out in a close 4-2 loss to Auburn on Friday. Alabama won the doubles point against the Tigers and got one of the singles points, but Auburn would win four of the remaining five singles matches, three of which came in three sets. Becker O'Shaughnessey continues to lead the Tide with seven wins in dual-match play, while Andrew Goodwin, Stuart Kenyon and Daniil Proskura have each added six singles victories for Alabama. In doubles, O'Shaughnessey and Proskura lead the Tide at the top with a 3-1 record at No. 1, and Goodwin and Kenyon stand strong with six wins in dual-match action.

The Trojans have won their last six-straight matches to come in with a 15-2 mark on the season. Last time out, USC posted victories over No. 8 Notre Dame and Hawai'i by scores of 7-0 and 6-0, respectively. Ray Sarmiento, ranked fourth nationally in singles, is 9-3 in dual matches, which includes a 7-2 mark at No. 1. Eighth-ranked Sarmiento and Yannick Hanfmann are 8-1 at the top spot in doubles.

Alabama and USC have played two times before, however this will be the first meeting since 1989. The series is split at one win apiece with the Tide winning in 1989 and the Trojans in 1977. Alabama head coach George Husack also has strong ties with USC as he served as the associate head coach of the Trojans for three national-championship seasons before taking over at Alabama.

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